what does als mean?

[Westy11]

I have noticed a few instances where someone has a surname then als then another surname: what does this mean?

For example Martha Fowle married secondly in Sedlescombe, Sussex 1664.  There are 2 marriage references for her marriage to her spouse:

Nicholas Ly als COOK Beckley
Nicholas Cook als LY Beckley

Another example.  James Stace & Margaret Blackman married in 1643 in Herstmonceux, Sussex.   Whilst the marriage record does not have any als a baptism of their child notes als Sheather. For example Mary baptised in 1646 in the notes section is "   SHETHE alias STACES".

James mother was Elizabeth Sheather so I'm wondering if the als has something to do with inheritances?

If so how do your record the surname in the marriage example Nicholas Ly als COOK Beckley
Nicholas Cook als LY Beckley?

Any ideas?

Westy

[jim1]

Als=Alias

[Westy11]

Thanks Jim.  And the implications of an alias?

[stanmapstone]

As you probably know  alias means "also known as".  In other words the person was known by more than one name. Aliases were used in cases of illegitimacy, upon the remarriage of a parent, [i.e. if a mother remarried, her children might take the name of their new stepfather, with their original name as an alias - or vice-versa]; upon inheriting property from a female relative, etc.; to differentiate between different holders of common surnames; to indicate stepchildren or fostered children. In some cases the alias form was inherited for several generations, and was similar to a double barreled surname Discovering the reason for an alias is not straightforward, and each case has to be treated on it's merits. Even in cases of illegitimacy there is no rule whether the father's or the mother's name was given first.
Stan

[Westy11]

Thanks Stan.

In the example of Nicholas Ly als COOK Beckley; Nicholas Cook als LY Beckley and being mindful of recording the spouse's name in a software program; should Nicholas be:
Nicholas Cook
Nicholas Ly
Nicholas COOK Beckley
Nicholas LY Beckley

Westy

[mazi]

As there is a village called Beckley in Sussex I wonder if the transcriber mistakenly thought it was part of his name, rather than where he was from.

Mike

[KGarrad]

It all rather depends on the date, and county?

Someone has an essay on the subject on the Devon GenUKI site:
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/NamesPersonal/AliasesDiscriminant

and also:
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/NamesPersonal/Aliases

Quite an interesting read

These aliases were fairly widespread around the West of England, but did also occur in other counties.

[Westy11]

Thanks KGarrad and Mike.  Interesting read and will check the transcription.

Westy

[coombs]

I have ancestors in Sussex who were of the surname Wickham "alias" Blink. That line seemed to flit between the two surnames. I have a feeling that William Wickham was the son of Jethro whose wife used more than one first name. Mary and Sarah.

They liked the aliases.